


Too Perfect

by PrincesaPetalito



Category: El Ristorantino de Arnoldo (TV)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, M/M, Set after the Inauguration, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:13:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29283561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincesaPetalito/pseuds/PrincesaPetalito
Summary: Arnoldo fires Francis on the loyal waiter's first day of work at the Ristorantino.They sing their feelings out like a musical.
Relationships: Arnoldo/Francis, Francis & Alina
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	Too Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> I love Trolls World Tour, I love bright colors being shoved into my face for 2 hours straight.
> 
> The songs are "Born to die" by Kelly Clarkson and "Perfect for me" by Justin Timberlake, both from the movie's Soundtrack.

**"Francis,thankfully everything went well today but you have to know what you did was very serious."**

The hardworking waiter placed his weary head on his hands,elbows trembling,leaning heavily against the wooden,round table in the middle of the dining area,allowing his heartbroken sobs to rock his pale,soft frame.

He is out of a job,a home and a longtime partner he loved and cared for dearly.

He is hopeless.

**"What you did to little Nina today was absolutely unforgivable,I can't let that happen again at this Ristorantino."**

**"Pero Arnoldo,I can explain,it was an accident,sir-"**

**"I can't afford to have any accidents like this,Francis!!! Especially on my first day! I am very sorry to tell you this,you are someone very dear to me and you know that but you're fired and I recommend you leave Bahía Bonita as soon as possible."**

The sweet boy with curly,raven hair buried his face in his hands even more,crying even harder,his things already packed by his side.

The temperamental Grand Chef hadn't allowed Francis to see his face through the whole ordeal yet the strain on the older, mustached man's raspy voice was clear as day, this wasn't easy for him either,Arnoldo had a reputation to keep here.

He was given the massive responsibility of carrying Nonna Arnoldina's legacy,a kind,loving woman whose always made sure no one went hungry on her watch.

It hasn't been easy, Arnoldo has only been even more _sensitive_ than the usual, especially with the reopening of the Ristorantino being so close,the day came and everything that could go wrong,went wrong and now Francis is here,on his way out the doors.

On his way out of Arnoldo's life,very likely for good.

_We don't hope for makin' things better_  
_All we want is to keep it together_  
_Every day is a rainy day, no changin' the weather_  
_This kind of life has made our hearts as hard as leather_

Francis eyed the small Karaoke set up by the corner that Alina had brought,she loves to sing and dance and thought it would be a good idea to sing to the customers.

As far as he was concerned she had been right,it was what had saved him on the spot after the accident with the jar of cold water,but Arnoldo wasn't as forgiving so Francis didn't exactly have a happy song in mind when he decidedly stood up to get the microphone in hands.

_And all these tears are from the dust in our eyes_  
_And all these years just keep on passin' us by_  
_And all this misery makes it hard to deny_  
_We all know that we're just born to die_  
_That's the way it goes when you're just born to die_

Francis strolled somberly around the low lit tables,looking sorrowfully at the pictures on the wall by the Memories corner,a photograph with the whole Junior Express crew it's newest addition.

Francis missed them deeply,especially Topa,Harmony,Lila and _even_ Natalio,he didn't really miss the Rulos,they were never truly his friends.

But it's not like he hasn't found new friends on the Island either,Alina was super sweet and supportive, Fiore is a mini-Arnoldo in some aspects, Margarita was like a mother to all of them,there were also María,Marina,Escobar and even Keno Malvatti from the Rapibocados food truck who is supposed to be their rival seemed like a really nice guy.

Yet the talented waiter found that....he was having to leave all his new friends behind as well.

It wasn't _fair_.

_I hear the voice of a whip-poor-will singin'_  
_She don't know all the comfort she's bringin'_  
_We all know the sound of when the truth is ringin'_  
_Yeah, it hurts your soul just like a bumble bee stingin'_

Francis glanced out the windows as he slowly waltzed by himself around the large room,the soft moonlight from outside bathing him in a soothing glow as hot,salty tears blurred his vision.

Francis simply adored this town already and the people who live here.

He didn't want to leave.

 _All these tears are from the dust in our eyes_  
_And all these years just keep on passin' us by_  
_And all this misery makes it hard to deny_  
_We all know that we're just born to die_  
_That's the way it goes when you're just born to die....._ "

"Fran,oh my god,what happened???" the aspiring magician heard a melodic female voice faintly as he felt his pudgy body collapse into,by now very familiar,thick arms.

He would miss Alina the most.

* * *

Arnoldo watched dejectedly as Francis walked out the Ristorantino doors in Alina's arms,he had heard some singing and naturally came downstairs to check what was happening.

He lost.

Alina was gorgeous,sweet,very competent at her job,the Italian Chef wouldn't hold it against his waiter if she happens to be the one to replace him very soon.

Still it didn't help the prideful Grand Chef's heart hurt any less.

The stubborn,brunet man fell to one knee in the dark,with slight difficulty picking up the microphone his Francis had left behind,lightly tapping it before singing into it.

_I know your favorite song_  
_I hear it every day_  
_Whoever made your smile_  
_Made it to get in my way_  
_And every time you laugh_  
_You make that little sound_  
_It's just the hardest thing_  
_To love you, but not know how_

It was the hardest decision of his entire life to let his most loyal apprentice go but he had no room to make mistakes anymore.

The people from this town expect this restaurant and it's food to feel as much like home as Nonna's used to and that's exactly what he's going to do.

Nonna would have never allowed what his waiter did to happen under her watch,she would have never allowed her bread to be that salty,her sauce to have that much more spice than it should.

And Francis was all to blame.

Which is a shame because he left just a couple minutes ago yet he's already dearly missed.

_So I spend all my nights in the dark and afraid_  
_'Cause I've tried to forget you_  
_But these things just don't go away..._

The Grand Chef stepped outside in the cold,windy air,spinning around and sitting by the fountain,gripping the microphone tightly in his calloused hands as his heart tightened inside his chest when he saw his beloved assistant's face smiling wide and gap-toothed in the clear water instead of the Chef's own deep frown.

Francis' smile is something you never forget,his kindness,his loyalty,his competence,his joyful olive eyes always shining bright no matter the situation,there is no replacing any of that.

This already sounded like a much bigger challenge than taking on Nonna's role.

_I hate that you're perfect,too perfect for me_  
_If I didn't know better, then I would believe_  
_That we were made for each other_  
_But I'd know the truth_  
_You're no good for me, I'm no good for you_  
_And I hate that you're perfect_  
_Too perfect for me_  
_I hate that you're perfect_  
_Too perfect for me_

Arnoldo stared at Alina's place in the distance through his blurred vision,he never went inside it but it looks like a lovely place.

Right now she must be showering _his_ Francis in kisses,fresh fruits,cookies and hot cocoa to help him forget what the **Big Mean Arnoldo** did,she probably might not want to work for him anymore either since she got so close to the raven-haired boy so quickly.

The sensitive Chef doesn't blame her,there's no way not to love Francis.

He only hopes she knows how to love him,how to treat him right.

Treat him the way Arnoldo was clearly unable to.

_What good are words_  
_When they always just get in our way?_  
_And it hurts the most just to know_  
_That you don't feel the same.....the same_

Arnoldo stood up,walking solemnly in the direction of the ocean,nobody in the streets,nobody was awake except for his frantic nerves and heavy,regretful heart,setting his hands firmly on the balcony by the shore,a gorgeous,privileged view the short-tempered,overweight Italian man did not feel like he deserved to witness at the moment.

He can only hope his Francis forgives him for this one day and realizes this was all for the better.

* * *

_So sometimes, I get down on my knees_  
_And I pray things will change_  
_But life is what happens when things_  
_They don't work out our way, our way...._

Francis sang morosely as he stood up from the comfy,old sofa at Alina's living room,said waitress rubbing his broad shoulders on a failed attempt to soothe his pained heart.

Francis fixed his polo shirt out of habit,he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever love Alina as more than a friend,she's amazing company,she's beautiful too.

Yet something tells the talented former apprentice that her mind was somewhere else when it came to romantic love just like his was.

And that was fine,he probably needs some time alone to gather his thoughts and feelings anyway.

_So I spend all my nights in the dark and afraid_  
_'Cause I've tried to forget you_  
_But these things just don't go away, away....._

Alina pushed a sorrowful aspiring magician outside with great effort,fully intending to give her Boss an earful of her own,he couldn't just fire _her_ Fran like this,she knows the two of them have history,he can't just discard the former assistant like he always meant nothing which she can easily tell wasn't even remotely true.

Francis leisurely walked down the stairs from Alina's humble home, staring down,completely hunched over his big shoulders,hiding between them from the cruel world.

He knew it would be no use if his best friend tried to talk _his_ Arnoldo out of this final decision,the mustached,overweight Chef is a very _very_ stubborn man,he will only end up firing her as well and it's just not fair for Ali to lose her job she helps support her family with because of him.

But again what _is_ fair?!

Francis' ears perked up,his buried head shooting upright when he heard a rather familiar raspy voice singing in the distance, the most beautiful voice he's ever heard while Alina tried to no avail to explain to the distracted curly-haired boy what she had in mind to tell their Boss.

The sweet,overworked waiter ran ahead,following the voice as if it had hypnotized him and harmonizing with it without even realizing,Ali was left dumbstruck behind.

_I hate that you're perfect,too perfect for me_  
_If I didn't know better, then I would believe_  
_We were made for each other_  
_But I'd know the truth_  
_You're no good for me, I'm no good for you_  
_And I hate that you're perfect_  
_Too perfect for me_  
_I hate that you're perfect_  
_You're perfect for me....._

Arnoldo turned back around from the balcony when he suspected of hearing his Francis' sweet voice in the distance,only to catch the talented assistant in time when the younger of the two jumped full force into his Chef's arms,Arnoldo instinctively spinning the boy in the air,both laughing freely,Alina felt her eyes tear up at the rather touching scene.

They might not be perfect or even good for each other yet they _need_ each other more than anything.

And that is utterly impossible to deny.

* * *

"Arnoldo, _please_ sir,I promise that will never happen again,I know how important it is to you to keep the Ristorantino's good reputation left by your Nonna,por favor,let me help you,you don't have to do this all alone...." Francis told his older,former Boss,intertwining their hands together and barely able to control his thumping heart in his ears as his olive green orbs bore deep into the Grand Chef's moisted,jade black ones.

The man with light brown hair barely let his talented,loyal apprentice finish his sentence before he threw his large frame fully into the younger's unprepared arms, Francis yelped loudly in surprise but caught the man as Arnoldo started shamelessly sobbing into the boy's broad shoulder while gripping it painfully tight with one hand,the other clutching to the kind waiter's back for dear life.

Alina awkwardly waved Francis goodbye from a distance,the raven-haired boy took one hand off of his Chef's smooth hair to lightly wave back and offer a dorky, somewhat apologetic grin.

It looks like she won't have to bite their Boss' ears off tonight.

She hopes she will never have to go through this situation again and see her Fran so distressed,desolate and incredibly heartbroken as he looked tonight.

Only time will tell.

**Author's Note:**

> I love making them cry.
> 
> The lyric is changed on purpose, not like anyone will care lol


End file.
